Elevating and controlling mechanism.



Patented Mar. 4, i902.

.5. F. HARDY. w ELEVATING MID cmwsoums MECHANISM.

(Application filed June 22, 1901) a Shaets-$heet (No Model.)

Pat ented Mar; 4, I902.

J. F. '.HARDY. 4 ELEVATINGAND CONTROLLING MECHANlSM.

{Application filed June 22, 1901! 3 Sheets-$heet 2.

(No Model.)

No. 694,632. Patented Mar. 4-, I902.

. J. F. HARDY. 1

ELEVATING AND CUNTROLLING MECHANISM. Appfication filed Juno 22; 1991. (NoModoL) 3 Sheets-Sheef 3.

FFlQE.

ATENT JAMES F. HARDY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO CONSOLIDATED DENTAL ISIANUFAOTURING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NE W YORK.

ELEVATENG AND CONTROLLING MECHANISM.

szencrsxoarron forming n or LettersE'atent No. 694,637, dated March 4, 1902.

Application filed June 22, 1901. Serial No. 65,598. (No modelr To (all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES F. HARDY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, in the city and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Elevating and Controlling Mechanisnnof which the following is a specification. l

My invention relates to an improvement in lo elevating and controlling mechanism, and has more particularly for its object to provide certain newand usefulimproveme'nts in mechanism for elevating and controlling surgical and dental chairs. I

The object of my invention is to provide mechanically-operated means-for raising a chair toa predetermined height, together with ad- 7 justable means for automatically controlling the speed with which the chair may be low-- ered and automatic means for locking the chair in any desired position.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings,

in which Figured is a top plan View of so much of a chair as is embodied in my present invention. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side View of the lower portion of the chair, a portion of the same being broken away to clearlyshow the means for elevating the chair and the brake. Fig. 4; is a vertical central section through the lower portion of the chair. Fig. 5 is an inverted plan taken in the plane of the line A A 01. Fig. 4: to show the adjust- 5 able means for automatically controlling the downward speed of the chair. Fig. (i is a dct-ail'view of the means for locking the upper section to the lowersection of the base, showing the parts in their unlocked position for.

40 permitting the upper portion of the base to be rotated on the lower portion of the base; and Fig. 7 is a similar view, the parts being shown in their locked position.

The lower section of the hollow base is denoted by 1 and the upper section by 2, which upper section is mounted to rotate upon the lowersection ol' the base. In the present instance I have shown a split bearing-ring 3 interposed between the adjacent vertical 5o walls of the upper and lower sections of the base and the upper end of a cup 4, which is secured in the lower section of the base by means of suitable fastening devices-such, for instance, as screws 5. The bottom of the cup 4 serves to close the lower end of the hol- 5 5 low base. The upper section of thebase is locked to and released from the lower section by means of a cam-bolt 6, interposed between the ends of the split rings, the said bolt being provided with a horizontally-swinging 6o foot-lever 7, exterior. to the base. The two cams and 9 of the cam-lever 6 are fitted to force the ends of the split ring 3 apart for locking the upper-section to the lower section when the lever is swung in one direction, and it permits the ring to contact when the lever is swung in the opposite direction. This cam-lever 6- is mounted in therotary upper section ofthe base, and the wall of the V said base is provided with a recess 10, fitted 7 to receive the cam 8 when the cam-rod is in its released position.

The chair-seatsupporting tubular post is denoted by 12, and it is fitted to slide vertically in a secondary tubular post 13, which post is in turn fitted to slide in the upper rotary section 2 of the base. A stationary exterior screw 14' is permanently secured at its upper endin the upper end of the inner tubularpostl2andprojectsdownwardlytherein to a point near the lower-end thereof. A hollow exterior rotary screw 15 surrounds the stationary exterior screw. 1i. This exterior screw has fixed thereto in its upper end an interior-sorew-threaded nut 16, which fits the screw 14, so that whenthe screw 15 is rotated the screw 1; and thereby the hollow post 12, ismoved up or new; according to the direction in which the screw 15 is rotated. These screws 14: and 15 are threaded in the same direction, but have different pitches for purposes which will hereinafter more fullyappear. An interiorly-screwthreaded traveling nut-17 is interposed between the tubular post 12 and the rotary screw 15 and is fitted 5 to the exterior screw-thread on the said screw. This traveling nut 17 is provided with an outwardly-extended flange 18, which is secured rigidly to the lowerend of the hollow post 13,,

n the present instance by means of screws roe per section 2 of the hollow base.

19, so that when the'screw is rotated the cording to the direction in which the screw 15 is rotated. lower end of the rotary screw 15, which bevelgear intermeshes with a driving bevel-gear 21, loosely mounted on a stud-axle 22, projected inwardly from the side wall of the upend of the screw 15 is supported by the cup 4, hereinbefore described.

The means which I employ for raising the chair is constructed and arranged as follows: A ratchet-wheel 23 is loosely mounted on the stud-axle 22, but keyed to the hub of the driving bevel-gear 21. A two-armed rocking lever 24 is loosely mounted upon the studaxle 22, one arm 25 of the rocking lever carrying a pawl 26 in position to be engaged with and disengaged from the ratchet-wheel 23. The other arm 27 ot the rocking lever 24 is connected to the free end of an arm 28-by a link 29, the other end of the arm 28 being hinged to the inner wall of the rotary section 2 of the base, as shown at 30. A rock-shaft 31 is mounted in the upper section 2 of the base, which rock-shaft has a chair-elevating foot-lever 32 fixed thereto exterior to the upper section and a rocking arm 33 fixed thereto within the base. This rocking arm 33 is provided with an open-ended elongated recess 34, which engages a pin 35, carried by' the rocking arm 28, adjacent to its hinged connection with the base. A spring-actuated dog 36 is carriedby the upper section of the base in position to engage the rearend of the pawl 26 as the rocking lever 24' returns to its normal back position for releasing the pawl 26 from the ratchet 23 to permit the ratchetwheel, and thereby the bevel-gears, to rotate in the reverse direction as the chair is lowered by gravity. The parts are held in their. normal back or released position and the footlever 32 in its raised position by means of a strong retracting-spring 37, connecting the rocking arm 33, carried by the shaft 31, with a lug 38 on the upper section 2 of the base.

The means which I. employ for adj ustably governing the downward speed of the chair is constructed and arranged as follows: A ratchet-wheel 39 is fixed to rotate with the bevel-gear 20, and a plate 40 is loosely mounted on the hub of a bevel-gear 20 between the under face of the bevel-gear and the said ratchet-wheel 39. with aspring-actuated pawl 41, engaging the ratchet-wheel 39, so that when the screw 15 is rotated in its reverse direction by the downward movement of the chair under gravity the plate 40 will be locked to the ratchetwheel 39 and be rotated thereby. When the chair is being elevated, the pawl 41 will slip over the teeth of the ratchet wheel 39. \Veighted governor-arms 42 are hinged at 43 to points upon the plate 40 upon opposite sides otv its center, which arms are provided with brake-shoes 44, which also serve as weights.

A bevel-gear 20 is fixed to the The lower This plate 40 is provided 44 are forced against the to the station- These brake-shoes inner wall of the cup 4, fixed ary lower section 1 of the base, when the lowering speed becomes too great. Each of these governonarms is accurately adjusted by providing it with an inwardly-projected sliding pin 45, the end of which is forced against the edge of the plate 40 by means of a spring 46', interposed between the outer, end of the rod and the adj Listing-screw 47. The arms may thus beadjusted so that the speed of the downward movement of the rately regulated.

The means which I have shown for support in g the chair at any desired point is construct-. ed and arranged as follows: A brake-wheel 48 is provided by extending the periphery of the bevel gea'r 21 rearwardly, the periphery of the brake-wheel 48 being fitted to be engaged by a Wedge brake-shoe 49, fitted to have a short sliding movement in a guide-recess 50 in the inner wall of the upper movable section 2 of the base. A rod 51 projects upwardly from the brake-shoe 40 to the exterior, and it is there provided with a cam foot- ]ever 52, the cam 53 thereof being fitted to engage the top of an adjusting-nut 54, hav ing a screw-threaded engagement with the upper section 2 of the base,.through which adjusting-nut the rod 51 passes. If the weight of the brake-shoe 49 is not sufficient to 1101? mally lock the bevelgear 21 against a reverse movement, an expansion-spring 55 may be interposed between the brake'shee 49 and the upper wall of the section 2.

To prevent the post 13 from turning in the upper section of the base, the said post and section have a tongue-and-groove connection 56. To similarly prevent the turning of the post 12 within the post 13, the two posts are provided with a tongue-and-groove connec-. tion 57.

chair may be accui. To insure the lowering of the seat by gravity and also to permit the rapid raising of the seat, the inner stationary screw is provided with a very sharp pitch, and the rotary screw 15 is provided with a lesser pitch in the same direction. In the present instance the pitch of the inner screw 14 is twice the pitch of the rotary screw 15.

It will be seen that a chair constructed and arranged as hereinahove set forth may be positively raised to any desired point in a rapid and efficient manner and may be there locked absolutely until released by the footlever 52. It will also be seen that when the chair is released its downward speed may be controlled and accurately adjusted by the governor hereinbefore described. It will also be seen that I have provided a very simple and effective means for locking and releasing the movable and stationary sections of the base.

It is evident that changes might be resorted to in the form, constr u tion, and arrangement of the several parts wither. leparting from the spirit and scope of my invention. llcnce screws for simultaneously raising the two posts, substantially as set forth.

2. An elevating mechanism comprising two posts and two screws mounted concentrically and means for rotating the outer, of the'screws for simultaneously raising the two posts, substantially as set forth.

3. An elevating mechanism comprising two posts and two screws mounted concentrically and connected together, the pitch of one screw being greater than the pitch of the other screw in the same direction andmeans for rotating the outer of the screws for simulta neously raising the posts at different speeds, substantially as set forth. c

4:. In combination, two tubular posts and two screws mounted concentrically and connected together, means 'for positively rotating the outer of the screws in one direction for raising the posts and a governor connected to the rotary screw for automatically controlling its speed inthe reverse direction to control the downward movements of the posts, substantially as set forth.

5 In combination, two tubular posts and two screws mounted concentrically, means for positively rotating the outer of the screws in one direction for raising the posts, a governor fixed to the rotary screw for controlling its movement in the reverse direction and means for adjusting the tension of the governor, substantially as set forth.

6. In combination, elevating mechanism, comprising two concentric tubular posts, a rotary screw connected to one of the posts and a stationary screw fixed to the other post and connected to the rotary screw whereby the turning of the rotary screw positively raises the two posts simultaneously, substantially as set forth.

7. In combination, two concentric tubular posts, a rotary screw, a traveling nut connecting the rotary screw with one of theposts, a stationary screw connected to the other post and engaging a nut carried by the rotary screw whereby the turning of the rotary screw in one direction will positively raise the posts, substantially as set forth.

8. An elevating mechanism comprising two concentric tubular posts, a rotary screw connected with one of the posts and a stationary screw fixed to the other post and connected with the rotary screw, the stationary screw having a greater pitchthan the rotary screw whereby the post to which the stationary screw is attached will be raised at a greater speed than the other post when the rotary screw is turned, substantially as set forth.

9. In combination,;two posts, screws positively connected therewith and means for turning the outer of the screws for positively raisingthe posts comprising a bevel-gear carried by the rotary screw, an .intermeshing gear, afoot-lever and a pawl-and-ratchet connection between the foot-lever and the lastnamed bevel-gear, substantially as set forth.

10. In combination, two posts, two screws positively connected therewith, means for turning the outer of the screws in one direction for positively raising the posts comprising a bevel-gear carried bythe rotary screw, anintermeshin g gear,a foot-lever and a pawland-ratchet connection between the foot-lever and thelast'named gear and means for disconnecting the foot-lever from thebevel-gear to permit the posts to slide downwardly by gravity, substantially as set forth.

11. In combination, two tubular posts, two screws positively connected therewith, means for positively turning the outer of the screws in one direction for raising the posts, means for disconecting the outer screw from its turning means, to permit the posts to slide downwardly by gravity and means for automatically locking the posts against downward movement, substantially as set forth.

12. In combination, body-elevating mechanism, means for automatically locking the body in any of its raised positions and mechanical means for controlling the speed of the downward movementof the body when the brake and the elevating mechanism are disconnected, substantially as set forth.

.13. A base comprising a lower stationary .section, an upper rotary section and means for locking the two sections together comprising a split ring interposed between the two sections and a cam-bar interposed between the ends of the split ring, substantially as set forth. i

14. A hollow base comprising a stationary lower section, a rotary upper section and a cup secured to the lower section for closingthe bottom of the base, substantially as set forth.

15. In combination, a hollow base, two concentric tubular posts fitted to slide therein, a stationary screw and a rotary screw connected to the posts, mechanical means for positively rotating the rotary screw inone direction to raise the posts and meansfor controlling the speed of the screw in the other direction comprising a governor-plate loosely mounted on the screw and having a pawl-and-ratchet con-' nection with the screw and weighted, governor-arms hinged to the governor-plate in position to engage the inner wall of the base, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name,in presence of two witnesses, this 14th day of June, 1901. 1

JAMES F. HARDY,

Witnessesa g ROBERT E. SEWARD, O. S. SUNDGREN. 

